Promises
by Gabiroba
Summary: Post Threads. They honor their dead, and then they honor their promises. Mark Carter discovers just how close knit his sister's friendships are, and how far they are willing to go for one another. Some humor and Romance along the way as well.
1. Arrival

********Story listed as NOT FINISHED! Don't get your panties in a bunch because you can't find the ending. CHECK THE STATUS BEFORE READING!********

And my motto: Don't like, don't read.

NOTE Jan/2014 – Chapters 1-6 edited and re-posted… how's that for efficiency?

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The arrival

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The airport terminal was not overly crowded as the four members of the Carter family made their way over to the airman awaiting them. Nothing unusual about that, figured Mark. His father had been a General, and certain perks came with the job for the family, even if he did not appreciate the military entirely. And who was he kidding; his sister was probably holed up at the base doing who knew what and entirely 'too busy' to come pick them up. That was just the way it worked with the Air-force, wasn't it?

The airman greeted them and directed them to the vehicle that would drop them off at Col. Samantha Carter's home. After everyone had piled in, Mark Carter decided to chat up the designated driver. It couldn't hurt to get some information on the people he would likely be seeing the next day.

"So, I take it you work with my sister, Sgt. Siler." Posing questions in the form of statements usually left little room to get out of answering, at least that was what Mark was hoping.

The airman glanced at Mark, sitting in the passenger seat up front and smirked. "Yes, sir. I am stationed at Cheyenne Mountain."

"Been there long?"

"Some might say so."

Mark looked at him quizzically. OK, since when were airmen trained to be as non-informative as officers?

"So you would know my sister and this team of hers, then." Might as well just get down to business, he figured.

"Yes, sir, I do."

Still nothing, to Mark's chagrin.

"Can you tell me anything about them? Sam's never really talked about her work."

The Sergeant smiled, "I could tell you a lot about SG-1, sir. Most of it is classified, and the rest you just wouldn't believe."

Mark just stared at him. Now he could handle cryptic, but that would imply some type of information had actually left the man's mouth.

"So what you're really saying is: they'd bust your balls if you said a word. Which means you are just as bad as any other military personnel and go for the 'love of God and Country' crap, right?"

"No, sir…" Sgt. Siler began.

"And quit it with the Sir! My family may be military but I am definitely not."

The kids were getting restless in the back and his wife laid a hand on his shoulder. "Calm down, Mark. Let the man finish. You're starting to scare the girls."

At her words he visibly deflated. She was right. It wasn't this man's fault his sister had abandoned her family. And his girls shouldn't have to deal with this stress along with their grandfather's death. Seeing the man had cooled off, Siler continued with his explanation.

"_Mr_. Carter, I don't presume to know your relationship with your sister, but I do know some things. One of them being that Col. Sam Carter is one of the finest officers and women that I have ever met. She is respectful, kind, funny and damn smart. She is also part of an amazing group of people who keep all of us safe on a daily basis. I am being truthful when I say you wouldn't believe some of the stories I have on her. I sometimes don't believe them myself, and I was there some of them. Please do not disrespect something you cannot even imagine. And if I were you, I would watch your tongue around any of her teammates. They will eat you alive without her there to defend you."

Mark didn't like the way this airman talked to him; as if he didn't know his sister was smart. Hell yeah, she was smart. But what the hell had she done that this man, who had obviously worked pretty close to her, would be this protective. He wasn't sure he wanted to find out.

"Now, if you are finished, we will be arriving shortly. I was told Col. Carter would be awaiting your arrival."

This was interesting news. So Sam wasn't at the base. Mark Carter had not expected this development. He thought they would be taken up to the compound, where they would be made to wait for an inordinate amount of time. Then, his sister would come out with some awful excuse about some problem or another with a malfunctioning telescope, and he would be left to deal with two tired and hungry children in a place not designed for them; very interesting.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The car pulled up to the house and her nieces came jumping out into her arms. Sam had missed the two girls immensely and loved any minute she could spend with them. She hugged them to her tightly before telling them to go through to the kitchen and get some cookies she had left out. The mini-me's did not need to be told twice as they scampered away. This, of course, left the adults to the awkward hellos.

"Hey, Mark. I'm glad you came." She greeted and went to give him a hug.

He didn't reciprocate and answered shortly, "Of course I came. He was my father as well."

Sam nodded, not wanting to start a fight so soon. It was inevitable, but the least she could do was hold it off until the girls were at least asleep. "Yeah, he was. How was the flight? Did you find Sgt. Siler alright? It was a bit hectic this afternoon and the General had to send him to pick you up instead of me."

He bristled at this statement. So she had been at work. "The flight was fine, Sam. Sorry to have taken you away from your ever pressing job."

She tried to tell him that it wasn't like that, but he didn't pay attention, just barreled into the house with the bags. Her sister-in-law put her hand on Sam's shoulder. "Don't worry about him. He has been really hurting about your dad. All of those old feelings are making a come-back in a big way. He almost bit the poor sergeant's head off on the ride over."

Sam nodded again. She expected this, knew it would have been too much to ask for her brother to keep a cool head. He was just like her father like that. Act first, ask questions later. Boy was she in for it.

"Yeah, well, he is who he is. I've always known that. I just hope he doesn't say anything in front of the wrong people."

The woman facing her opened her eyes wide.

"Oh, Sam, he would never say anything to hurt your job. He is just mad right now."

She managed a small chuckle. If only!

"That's not what I meant Jen. At this point, nothing he could say would hurt my career or standing at the base. I'm worried about him upsetting people who can hurt him for bad-mouthing the Air Force."

Jen frowned. She needed to have a talk with her husband before the funeral.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

By 1900 the clothes had been pulled out of their bags and duly ironed. The girls' beds had been sorted and made. All that was left was dinner and sleep. Just as Sam was about to discover if she had anything edible in her fridge, the doorbell rang. Not expecting anyone, she asked Mark to see who it was, and quickly dispense with them. Tonight she had no patience to deal with her nosy neighbors.

Her brother came into the kitchen with a frown on his face, what a shocker.

"Yeah, did you see who it was?"

"Yes…, there are a couple of guys at the door with some pizzas. You didn't order anything did you?" He questioned her.

Now it was her turn to frown. The General was on base waiting for SG-7 to come back with the Tok'ra delegates. Which meant Daniel was probably too curious for his own good.

"These guys, is one of them about your height, brown hair, geeky glasses; the other a big black guy with a hat on?"

"Yeah, you know them? I thought you said it would be just us tonight. All that family bonding thing you wanted to do."

Sam had to roll her eyes. "Yeah, it was supposed to be just us. They're part of my team. I'm gonna kill Daniel."

She moved around him and went to let her two friends in, Mark hot on her heels. She couldn't be too mad at them. They were probably only trying to be there for her and provide a shield between her and Mark.

"Hey, I thought I told you no visiting after closing time?"

Teal'c tilted his head at Daniel, "Did I not tell you that ColonelCarter did not wish to be disturbed, DanielJackson?" He bowed his head in her direction and glared, as only Teal'c can, at Daniel. The archeologist even managed a small wince. So maybe his plan wasn't completely thought through.

"We shall leave you to your family, Col. Carter."

Daniel stopped him. "No T, wait. Please? And look, we brought pizza! I know for a fact you have no food in this house. You were going to the store when Jack called you back this afternoon."

She made a big show of allowing him access to her house. "Alright, fine, since you asked so nicely, and brought your own food. I suppose you can stay." She grinned, "That doesn't happen to be meat lovers, does it?"

Daniel scoffed, "What else?"

Before they could make it further into the house they were stopped by an unhappy family member. Arms crossed and doing a pretty good impression of Teal'c, with only one eyebrow up was Mark. Sam saw the potential for WW3 and quickly crossed over and gave introductions. He wasn't even fazed by the alien who kept calling him by his full name.

_Who did these people think they were?_ That was the first thing that went through Mark's head. Sure, they probably worked close, for them to know each other's address and not be afraid to show up unannounced. But their family was in mourning. It was just passé to show up at a co-workers house before a funeral and expect a good time. He wanted to know who these men were that worked with his sister, now more than ever.

Jen called the kids to the dining table and set each of them up with a slice of pizza before taking one for herself. Daniel helped Sam get cups and plates passed around, while Teal'c fooled around with the DVD to get it set up for later. All the while, Mark wondered under what circumstances these men had come to know his sister's home well enough to not ask where anything was, nor feel the need to get her permission before they went traipsing through her things.

He observed the one called Daniel Jackson carefully. He was pretty well built, he would have to work out if he spent his time on a military base, but he just didn't scream military. Actually, he looked a little geeky as his sister had said. But who knows, his sister didn't really look the type to blow someone's brains out either.

"So, Daniel is it? What rank are you? Colonel, like Sam?"

But instead of answering, his sister and the man laughed. Mark wasn't sure what the joke was and that bothered him. "What did I say?"

"I'm sorry Mark. It's just that Daniel has about as much aversion to the military as you do. And the idea of him being an officer is actually kinda funny."

Daniel pretended to be hurt, "Come on, I think I do pretty well considering." He turned to Mark and smiled. "But, no, I'm not in the military. I'm actually an archeologist and linguist. Sam is right. I hate the military and their ridiculous rules and regulations and bowing and scraping and red tape…it's infuriating. I just put up with them when I have no choice, and even then I don't do so well with the establishment."

Mark was now even more confused about his sister's work in that mountain. "Archeologist? As in dead societies? And what, you're the military representative of some native tribe here to learn?" he said turning to Teal'c.

Sam tilted her head in thought. "Why didn't we think of that one?" She murmured to herself.

"Yeah, Mark, something like that. But actually, Teal'c here helps us train our men for hand to hand combat. He's the best there is."

Now that didn't surprise him, the man was pretty built after all. "So you all are part of a team? Any more members I should be aware of?"

Daniel answered since Sam had decided her pizza looked more interesting. "Right now just us. Jack used to be the leader,then he had to go and get himself promoted and all, so Sam here took over."

She nodded her head as she finished off her bite.

"Jack would be…?"

"Uh, General Jack O'Neill, base Commander. That would be the promotion he received."

That was the end of the conversations about Sam's work as they ate. And Sam was glad for it. She could face down the Goa'uld and not break a sweat, but put her brother in front of her and she didn't know where to turn or what to say.

Somehow Daniel had managed to get Mark's daughters into a conversation about their school and friends, a subject they could go on about forever. As the girls regaled them all with their own little anecdotes on life, Mark studied the interactions between the people before him. His sister seemed to be so comfortable with these men and didn't bat an eye when they moved around her home. She seemed more at ease with them than with her own family.

Tomorrow would be soon enough to find out more about them. And he had a father to bury, and people to meet and pretend to like. It could wait. He was here for another 10 days after all.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-


	2. He Is Honored

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

He is Honored

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The new day dawned bright and early at the Carter household. General O'Neill had called Sam the night before to check up on her, and inform her that a car would be coming by to pick her and the family up at 9:30 sharp. The funeral would be held at the Academy grounds and was to be a full military shindig. No dallying would be tolerated, least of all from the leader of the flagship team. She had rolled her eyes at his own impatience with what had obviously been an admonishment he himself had received.

Once everyone had piled in, Sam decided to explain what they were to expect. Decked out in her dress blues, Sam Carter cut an impressive figure that had even her brother in awe. His baby sister looked like a powerful woman, and that scared him more than anything.

"There will be, as you are aware, many high level military figures. Security will be tight, even more so because the president is coming. The girls will have to stay close by since there are areas you won't be allowed near, and I know how they can be. If they get away, someone will most likely snatch them up before they get into trouble, but it's always good to be cautious."

Jen cut in, "Don't worry Sam. They know they're going to an important place and to be on their best behavior, don't you?"

She turned to her daughters with that all-knowing mother look. No child can disagree with that look, and these two were no exception.

Sam smiled, "Yeah, they are pretty smart. There will also be a lot of the boring military proceedings. Since I have been serving at the same base that Dad was using as headquarters, I will need to be right up there near the podium. There are seats reserved for you with the rest of the family. There are SFs bringing in everyone that could make it. Aunt Muriel said she would only get here half-way through, so the General is having someone meet her at the airport and take her straight to the reception."

Mark nodded. That was good of the man, probably another perk because of his father's rank. "Is there anyone we should watch out for? Any questions we shouldn't ask?"

Her left eye twitched. Not a good sign with his sister, _that_ much he still remembered of the Sam he had grown up with. "Well, don't mention snakes. The delegation dad had been working with is a bit paranoid about them. Oh, and don't let General O'Neill hear you like fishing. He won't let the subject drop, ever, if he does, and then he will find a way to get your number and invite you to his cabin in Minnesota. And don't mention Egypt to Daniel, it's a sore subject."

"What's wrong with fishing? We love going fishing with Daddy. He always gets the really big ones!" Her oldest niece looked up at her with childish enthusiasm.

"Well, the thing is that the General's lake has no fish, at all. And he keeps trying to get us to go up with him. It's not fun like when you go with daddy."

Her brother nodded in understanding. Spending time with your boss in the middle of the woods with nothing to do didn't sound like fun.

The Egypt thing he didn't get, but he supposed Sam knew these people.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

As soon as they arrived, airmen came and led them to their seats as his sister took her place next to a man he assumed would be the one presiding over the ceremony. He had a star pinned to his shoulder, making Mark wonder if this happened to be the elusive General O'Neill everyone kept mentioning.

The ceremony began and as his sister had predicted, it was the typical military fanfare. People who had served with his father from the time of his joining came up and said words about him. Most of them were Generals, the occasional colonel, a few diplomats. It seemed his father had a lot of friends in pretty high places. Who'd'a thunk it?

Then there were the members of that delegation Sam had mentioned. Now here was when things got interesting, if not confusing. He knew his father had been going on a lot of diplomatic trips overseas the past four years. But these guys made it seem like the old guy was actually bearing down in the trenches and fighting a war with them. The man was almost 70. He was lucky to even have a job anymore. And some of the words they used, who talked like that? And they kept mentioning his father joining with a Selmac. Who or what was that? And what did they mean by joining? As far as Mark was aware his father had not remarried, not even dated really, since his mom had died. Weirder still was that these people seemed to be mourning this 'entity', for lack of a better word, as well.

Just as Mark thought he would fall off his chair with a mix of boredom and confusion, the last of the delegates moved off the stage and Teal'c took to the microphone. He began with some words in a language Mark didn't understand, but obviously had deep meaning to some of the people in the audience. If possible the mood was even more somber now and his sister was barely holding it together. Teal'c then bowed his head and turned straight to Sam before finishing.

"I had the pleasure of serving with JacobCarter many times during these last years. He taught me many things as a warrior, and as a… human. He was a fine man, and his efforts will not be forgotten by my people."

The warrior took Sam's arm in a weird arm-grab and bow move before going off. That was when he noticed that the man standing beside Sam had his hand on her lower back. Weird, from a military perspective, but still allowed. Maybe he was just trying to remind her to man-up. Surprisingly, the hand didn't leave as the big guy moved off and back to his seat. Then it was Daniel Jackson's turn. There was a man Mark still had no explanation for, well except maybe that the military loved their secrets and pulling the wool over the public's eyes.

Daniel smiled softly before he began. "Jacob Carter. Having met the man through his daughter, I can say one definite thing about the man. His family was the most important thing to him. Somehow he always managed to get there in the nick of time, just when we least expected him, even if he _technically_ wasn't supposed to be there. He even managed to teach me a thing or two about ancient cultures." The crowd laughed at that. Mark figured it had something to do with his profession. Whatever. "You will be missed, Major General Jacob Carter. There is no one I know who could instill the fear of God into Jack O'Neill the way you could."

Mark waited for the reprimand to come, but the other generals only chuckled sadly, and the man whom he assumed to be General O'Neill didn't seem too upset when he called the archeologist out on his comment. What surprised him the most was that Sam elbowed the general in the ribs slightly, and obviously, but no one seemed to bat an eye. Actually, they were standing closer together then they had been before. It was nowhere near the distance two ranking officers should stand, especially if they were of the opposite sex and different ranks. Just what the hell was his sister doing?

It was now Sam's turn to speak on behalf of her father, superior officer, and in the Carter family name. He noticed her hand trembled slightly as she took to the mic. He almost thought she wouldn't be able to do it when he noticed her looking to the side; that General again. The man gave her an almost smile and that was it. She stood straighter and looked like a different woman.

"As a child, growing up all over the world, I thought my dad was the coolest. He got to meet interesting people, work in amazing cities, and even brought me the best toys when he went away. As I grew up, I learned the military was more than just different cities and interesting people. He taught me that the Air Force was more than flying awesome planes over gorgeous landscapes. He showed me the power of a unified front. He made me want to be like him.

"I am one of the lucky few to have served with him; luckier still to have been his daughter and to have known the amazing leader, strategist, father, friend and comrade he was. My father was graceful enough to know when to admit defeat, and bullheaded enough to keep fighting when everyone thought he was wrong. I will miss him and think of him daily as I continue striving to emulate the great man that he was, and one day I hope to be half the parent he was to me."

There wasn't a dry eye in the house after that one. Even his children had understood the significance of their aunt's words, even if they didn't understand their true meaning. Sam was asking him if he wanted to say a few words, but he honestly couldn't have followed that if he'd wanted to. He was about to refuse when his youngest decided to make herself known.

"Aunt Sam, pick me, pick me. I wanna say something about grampa Jake!"

Just as Jen was about to quiet her down, the General told her to come up. He met her at the stairs with a smile on his face. She took his proffered hand and went to stand behind the podium. Sam made to lift her when the same man picked up his daughter and brought her closer to the microphone. Sam never left their side, seeming to move in closer to the pair.

"Grandpa Jake was the bestest grampa in the whole universe."

His daughter's opening line brought a chuckle out of the audience and helped dispel some of the heaviness left over from Sam's eulogy. It didn't faze the outspoken little girl though. "Every time we saw him he would tell us funny stories and play games with us. He even played more than daddy, and daddy plays a lot with us."

By this point she had the whole room eating out of the palm of her hand and she knew it. "He didn't bring us awesome toys like he did aunt Sam, but he always gave us chocolate when mommy and daddy weren't looking. I'm gonna miss him lots 'cause he was my grampa and I love him a bunch." She turned around to look at Jack. "I'm done mister."

Sam corrected her, "It's General, sweetie."

He batted her away. "Call me Jack. With that speech, you are now my favorite Carter."

His daughter smiled sweetly and ran back to him and his wife. Yeah, she had everyone wrapped around her little finger. Way to go baby girl.

As his children quieted down it became apparent that it was the General's turn to speak. And he looked to be the last one. He took a minute to look over his audience and Mark understood why this man had been made General. He might have just fooled his daughter into believing he was all soft hearted, but this man was a soldier through and through, and boy could he command the attention of a room.

"I am trying really hard to find words that could follow two different Carter women, and it is just not possible. I mean really, what can I say that would be as deep, or moving, as the words the best brains in the room just came up with? I think I get why Jake didn't stick around so much, he was as threatened as I feel right now by all the smarts and charm."

The room all seemed to laugh, even the man's bosses. No one seemed to have noticed that this was a really bad time for jokes, or to be making fun of the deceased's family.

"You know when I met General Jacob Carter for the first time, I was scared stiff. Not only had my 2IC failed to mention her dad could kill me seven different ways and lose my body before anyone knew I was missing, he just looked really scary. Then we started working together, and let me tell you I'm even more scared now than I was before. But I have also come to respect the man more than any other soldier I've met. He was a downright pain in the mik'ta most of the time, but let's face it, the guy was usually right, and he knew it. He was also one of the most honorable people I have ever met, and would give his life to save any other. Serving with him was an honor I will not soon forget. Along with Carter, I hope to be able to emulate his actions as a soldier, and as a man."

With his last solemn words he began to leave the dais but seemed to remember something at the last moment.

"Oh, and, yeah, Jake made me promise to say something here. And well Daniel is gonna make me keep to that promise whether I want to or not."

Well this was interesting, and it seemed his sister had no idea about it either. Well man, speak!

"Before he died, Jacob called me in to see him and handed me a piece of paper. He told me under no circumstance was I to even think of 'losing it' like I usually do. This paper contained a letter he wrote to all of you, and he wanted me to read it out to you all at the end of the funeral. I am honored to do so now. Here goes:

'Hey guys, you have all gathered here today to lay my body rest or some such nonsense. I hope there are a lot of you here or I plan on coming back from the dead just to annoy you.

'Some of you might have noticed you didn't understand anything about the work I have been doing for the past few years, others might be thinking that I must really be nuts to have Jack read my final thoughts. Just think of it as payback for all the hell he's put _me_ through.'"

He paused and looked at Sam. "You know, that's typical. Here I am doing the man a favor and he's picking on me."

She rolled her eyes and pointed to the paper. "Please, sir. Continue."

"Right, where was I? Yeah, here, '…put me through. I want all of you to know that I have lived more these last four years than I did probably all of my life. With the exception of my kids and marriage, Selmac was the best choice I ever made, and I like to think she's pretty happy with me too. She just told me she is; what a relief.

'Anyway, I want you all to know that while this seems like the end of the line for me, it isn't. As a wise woman has told me, "If you immediately know the fire is hot, than the food was cooked a long time ago", or something like that. I can see one of you getting it, a few of you not believing it, and the rest lost beyond words. Daniel, the next time you die, I'll catch you up.

'As for the rest of you, maybe we'll see each other again sometime, maybe we won't. I will try to keep watch over you. Mark, hopefully you are here. Know that I love you and wish we had had more time to get to know each other again. That will always be my greatest regret, but I am glad we started bridging those gaps before it was too late. Sam, keep the old guy out of trouble, he has a penchant for trying to get you all killed that I won't be able to help avoid anymore. And lastly, Jack, keep that second promise of yours or I _will_ come back to haunt you and it won't be like the Canterville.

'All my love to all. And thank you for having been a part of my life. See you soon, Major General Jacob Carter, and Selmac.'

"Well, there you go. Jacob Carter: Jokester, General, and all around great guy who will leave a hole in each of us. May he rest in peace."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-


	3. Meet and Misgreet

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Meet and Misgreet

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The ceremony had drawn to a close. The shots had been fired, the flag folded, the cartridges collected. His sister had come down from the podium to stand beside him as people came up to personally offer their condolences. Everyone seemed to know Sam, and vice-versa. Most people didn't even notice he was standing there and just went ahead and spoke solely to the Colonel. After 5 different men had come up and completely ignored him and his wife, Mark turned around and decided to leave. There was no point in sticking around in what was obviously a gathering for Sam and not him.

He spotted one of his aunts at the end of the room and began making his way there with his daughters and wife.

His sister realized he was moving away but decided to let him. She was tired of pretending to be the good little soldier and perfect sister with him. Let him go off and sulk, she wasn't his mother and he could just go hang himself at this point.

Halfway down the corridor a man Mark thought he recognized as one of his dad's old buddies stopped them.

"Hi, Mark. I don't know if you remember me. Your father and I served together many years ago. My name is Hammond, George Hammond. Actually, I was your sister's Commanding Officer for about 7 years, up until last year."

Mark nodded and shook the man's hand. Figures, another of Sam's fan club.

"Yes, sir. I do have some memories of you. My dad spoke of you briefly that last time he came out to visit us."

The General smiled at him. "Yeah, he would have since I had to approve his visits. He would get so mad when there wasn't time to get him out to California before he had to leave again."

Mark frowned, "So you're the reason he couldn't come over to the house this past year?"

Hammond chuckled, "He told me you'd see it that way. No, when I say I approved his visits, I mean I made it easier for him to do whatever the hell he wanted when he had the time. I didn't control him any more than the US government did, especially this past year. Your father, I don't exactly what he told you, was sort of an outside agent. He took his orders from elsewhere."

As if the funeral hadn't been un-enlightening enough, this just made Mark's brain get even more twisted. Had his father been messing around with spying all of a sudden? Had he gone rogue?

"I'm not sure I understand what you are implying General. Do you mean to say my father was betraying his country?"

"No son, I am definitely not saying that. Just that he retired from the military and was retained as a consultant for the past four years. Your father would never betray this country and our way of living. He was trying to protect that more than you know."

The General sighed and looked over Mark's shoulder, seeming to find someone across the room. "If you all will excuse me, I'd better go make sure General O'Neill has everything under control."

With that statement, General Hammond made his way over to where SG-1 were standing and Mark continued on his path towards his aunt. At least she would make sense and not talk in riddles with him.

The General approached his favorite team with a sad gleam in his eyes. Sam stepped out to greet him and he met her with a warm hug.

"That was a beautiful speech you just gave for your father, Colonel. I am sure he would have been very proud."

Sam smiled at her father's friend. "Thank you, sir."

"Now, Jack, what's this about fire burning and cooked meals? I think I remember something like that back when Dr. Jackson was going through his transparency phase."

Jack O'Neill winced. "About that, General; I have no idea what Jacob was talking about. He told me not to read it until today, and I didn't. We were just discussing it actually. Danny here thinks maybe Oma had been keeping him company lately."

"Do you think it's possible he ascended?"

Sam shook her head at that, "Well, sir, we can't rule it out completely, but we all saw him die. There were no flashes of light or a sudden lack of a body to be cremated. I think we can assume he didn't, but experience has shown us that only time will tell."

They were all in agreement with her. General Hammond nodded as he decided he had taken up enough of their time and went off to speak to General Vidrine, who had just been freed from one of the Tok'ra. Jack looked at Sam and nodded to her brother with a questioning glance. She just shrugged her shoulders. They had both seen the exchange between him and General Hammond, and both had also noticed how her brother still appeared to be bothered about where he was.

"I don't know if he will ever accept this, sir, but I'm really glad he is here. He might not see it that way, but I know dad was proud of his family. He did what I haven't managed and gave Dad grandkids. Maybe someday we will be able to talk about all this and he won't throw in my face the fact that I am never around. At the moment, I really don't care."

Jack nodded at her. He understood Mark's position, even if she couldn't.

"Why don't we start heading off? I'm sure Walter has everything already set up. Go round up the posse and we can have some lunch."

"Yes, sir." She nodded at him and went off to find her brother and the rest of her family. He called her back before she had a chance to get too far.

"Oh, and Carter, here, take Danny's keys. I forgot. I told the driver to get lost after he dropped you off earlier." He threw her a set of car keys across the way, and turned to pull Daniel away from the clutches of Tok'ra dignitaries.

Unfortunately, his aim was off this morning and he happened to throw them a bit too high, which made her almost fall over to catch them. Fortunately there was someone behind her for her to crash into. As she was turning around to apologize, she realized who it was. With a shocked expression, she managed to acknowledge him.

"Pete. I had no idea you were coming."

The man shook his head sadly. "Sure I came, Sam. I know you broke it off, but I thought we were going to have a future. What kind of douche-bag would I be not showing up?"

She tried to get her head around what he was saying. "Um, yeah, no, I mean, thank you. It means a lot that you came. I was just surprised. I was actually just going to get Mark and head over to the reception. You're more than welcome to join us."

She tried to smile at him, pretend it was all water under the bridge, but he was making this letting go and moving on with their lives thing really difficult. Little did she know, that was his very intention. He looked over to where she had indicated and, sure enough, he found his old friend. Even better, he knew he had just found himself an ally. Mark would surely agree with him about the inappropriateness of her relationship with these people. Outwardly, he showed no signs of his deception.

"Sure, I can spare a bit more time. They don't need me around the precinct until the late afternoon anyways."

"That's great. I'll just go get them then. You can follow us to the venue in your car."

Pete crinkled his eyebrows in confusion. "You're not having it at your place?"

"You said it yourself, my place is too small. Besides with Mark here, if the girls start getting tired, he can just take them home and not have to bother with all the mess."

She didn't give him a chance to respond before she moved off.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The convoy made their way almost in unison to the reception. Inside Daniel's car, the only sounds heard were of the little girls playing "I Spy…" After they had entered a residential area Mark turned to look at Sam who was driving.

"We're not going back to your house, are we?"

Sam winced, again. _Maybe I should have told him before getting here_- were the only thoughts on her mind. "No, we aren't. You saw how small the house is. There are far too many people who are coming over and they just wouldn't fit. The General had Sgt. Harriman set up the reception at his house while we were at the ceremony. He has a lot more room."

Mark's eyebrows shot up at this. Now the man was even dictating where he should be mourning his losses. His father had probably never even set foot in the place. And from what Mark had been observing, he probably wouldn't approve of the relationship Sam had with this _General_ either.

"This General of yours seems to have had a hand in pretty much everything today, huh?"

"Mark, don't be like that. He really liked Dad and he is trying to help in whatever way he can."

Mark snorted loudly. "Yeah, because Generals are always so helpful to the family of a fallen soldier."

Sam pulled up to her CO's home and parked the car before answering. "I am asking you this because I am your sister, and because these people are my friends. Don't judge these men before you get to know them. General O'Neill really is just trying to show his support. He is not only my commanding officer, but a friend."

"Look, Sam. Let's get one thing straight. I am here because he was my father and I want to honor him in some way. If that means I have to put up with you military folks for a couple of hours, then fine. But don't expect me to be anything beyond barely civil. And really don't expect me to actually like anyone in there, because it is not happening."

He got out of the car and slammed the door in a huff. Jen had taken his daughters out and was standing with them waiting for the siblings to finish exchanging words. Their girls did not need to see how bad their father and aunt's relationship was.

As Sam was finishing locking her car, Pete came up to her with an angry look on his face. "_This_ is where you decided to have the reception?" He kept pointing emphatically at the building before them. "And you still want me to believe there is nothing going on between the two of you. You really did leave me for him, didn't you?"

Sam closed her eyes and wished the SGC would call her on an emergency right about now. Or better yet, get unexpectedly beamed up by Thor and asked to go fight off some replicators. Yeah, that would be infinitely better than having this conversation again, especially here. No such luck though, there was her brother, and here was her ex-fiancé. And oh, look, her boss' house right up the walk. Yup. Lovely.

"Yes, Pete. I would like you to keep believing there is nothing between us, because there isn't. And yes, this is where people will be coming to remember my father one last time. If you can't put aside your feelings and quick assumptions, then I suggest you leave. No one forced you to come today, and no one is making you stay. I am going inside now. Do what you will."

She turned from him, not bothering to answer when he began calling after her. There was no point, he wouldn't listen anyway and she wasn't up to fighting today. After she had gone inside with her sister-in-law and nieces, Mark went up to his friend.

"You really think she's got something with that CO of hers?"

Pete just looked at him with a 'well duh' expression. If that hadn't been enough, his sarcastic comment would have done the trick.

"Come on, hasn't she told you already the thousand-and-one marvelous things General O'Neill is good at yet?"

"She has mentioned him quite a bit, and I did think it was odd. Actually, I _was_ starting to think maybe something had been going on between them. They seem too friendly. But I can't believe Sam is into anything like that. She's too good for it. I figured maybe he'd been forcing something on her and she's too much the officer to back off quietly."

"I don't like the guy. She can say whatever she likes, that man is one cocky son-of-a-bitch and I didn't like him from the moment I met him. He'll call her in the middle of the night to tell her to go to bed. Then he'll call in the morning to wake her up and tell her to not dawdle on her way in. It's like he doesn't think she's competent or wants to control her every move. And like you said, the good little soldier follows every order he gives. I can't even tell who she is around him."

He looked up at the house and smiled cynically. "One time, we were right in the middle of a date and he called. He asked her if his computer was supposed to be making a sound or bleep or something. She actually told me to pack it up and went back to the base to fix whatever problem he'd managed to get himself into. She didn't come home from that place for an entire week. And she never told me what was really the problem; just some bull-crap about system-wide error."

Mark looked up at the house as well, speculating on what Pete had just told him. He hadn't liked the way this General had spoken at the funeral. He was entirely too disrespectful and seemed like a bumbling idiot at times. Besides, there was just something strange about a man who went out of his way to treat one of his subordinates so well, and then did what Pete said he'd done. Was the man a complete loon? Didn't the Air Force have standards anymore? He had to watch out for his sister or she might be getting herself into trouble. She always had been a little naïve about men and her effect on the idiots of the gender.

"Stick around for a while, Pete. I'd rather have a friend in there to get through this."

Pete smiled in understanding. "Yeah, I'll hang for a bit, give you the support. I'd love to meet your wife too, get some fresh dirt on you."

"I just bet you would."

Jack O'Neill watched from his backyard as the two men made their way into his house. He had seen the entire exchange and had been ready to jump in if needed. He almost had when the thorn in his side had popped up and started a fight with Sam. This was not the time to argue about where the damn reception was being held and why. Sam didn't need to be accused of anything the day she buried her father. Besides, he hadn't given her a choice in the matter so it wasn't even her fault. Jack couldn't help getting the feeling that something wasn't right with the cop, and he was planning on keeping a close eye on him to make sure he couldn't get close enough to Sam to try anything.

He turned back to his grill and started up the fire. As long as there were people here, he might as well fire up some steaks. Jake would have liked that, right? Some good steaks and cold beer; the perfect way to remember the man. And cake. There was going to be cake later. His idea.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-


	4. Some Introductions Are in Order

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Some Introductions Are in Order

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Mark Carter looked out about the living-room. Everyone appeared completely at ease at being inside the General's home. No one seemed overly curious about the photos hanging on the wall, nor about the lack of actual food going around. Mark had understood that Sgt. something-or-other had set up for this. Personally, he didn't care to eat anything, but he had two little girls to worry about who hadn't eaten since breakfast. As a matter of fact, where were they? Where was his wife, and his sister, as a matter of fact? They all seemed to have disappeared.

Just as he was thinking this, Sam came out of what Mark assumed was the bedrooms in a different outfit than she had been wearing. He hadn't seen her bring anything with her, so he had to believe this was something already here. Did that mean it had been brought by the day before in anticipation, or did she commonly keep clothes at her superior officer's home? And no one batted an eye when they saw the change. Maybe his sister really was having an affair with her boss and no one cared. Yup, and reality TV was real too.

"Hey, I had to get out of the uniform. With the steaks I didn't think I'd be able to keep it clean."

Only one word registered with Mark's conscious mind. And he repeated it with all the skepticism he could muster. "Steaks? Do you mean that's what we're having? As in, all of us?" He looked around the room and tried to do a head count. Between in here and the backyard there were easily fifty people present, most likely more.

Sam lowered her head as a small smile appeared. "Yeah, the General, he likes steak. He always managed to get Dad over here for a barbeque when he was in town. I think Dad liked the chance to get away from the base, and of course be allowed to have a beer where he wasn't being regulated constantly."

Mark frowned. "Dad would come here when he came to Colorado Springs?"

"Yeah, he and the General really hit it off. Well, when they weren't arguing about who was right, and who was more right. Usually the end-result of their arguments was one of them buying a round of beers and steaks and cooking-out here."

Mark looked surprised. "Your CO argued with dad the General, and lived to tell about it?"

Sam let out a small chuckle. "Yep, and they were both a pain in the ass about it."

Just as she said that, the man in question was coming in behind them with a couple of beer bottles in his hand. "I heard that Carter."

"You were meant to, Sir."

He turned to Mark. "You know, you give 'em just that little bit of freedom and it comes back to bite you in the… behind."

Mark kept staring at them incredulously. His sister had been outright insubordinate. Mark had been waiting for the actual reprimand, not the playful rebuke and rebuttal he heard instead. What kind of operation was his sister working for that no one in the room even paid it any mind? He was about to give them a piece of _his_ mind when Pete came up to them with his own beer bottles, handing him one. That was when Jack realized he had two on his own person and passed one off to Carter. She barely acknowledged it, merely lifting an eyebrow slightly, as if it was the most natural thing in the world for him to get her beverages.

"Shanahan."

"O'Neill."

There was no love lost between the two. Mark felt the same. But the General brushed it off and turned back to Mark, ignoring the cop once again.

"Oh, yeah, Mark. I have some juice in the fridge. What kind do the girls prefer?"

Again, Mark was taken aback. He had half expected the man to say they would have to suffer with water because he hadn't planned for kids at this shindig. That was nice, he supposed.

"Apple if you have any."

He smiled. "Sure. I'll go take it to them. They must be thirsty." He turned around to leave and had a second thought. "Hey Carter, think they'd like that yo-yo you made me?"

His sister looked at him with a smile he had never seen on her before, almost as if she were indulging him like a mother does with a difficult child. "Probably, Sir, but maybe it would be best if you just gave them the soccer ball to play with outside. I've had to fix it so many times it might not hold on for too much."

His expression seemed to falter and lift in rapid succession. "Yeah, you're right. Hey, maybe you could make me another one?"

"Sure. I'll get right on it once I'm back on base."

"Sweet."

He left to the kitchen again, leaving the three adults alone. Mark looked at his sister, and then at the retreating man. "You made him a yo-yo?"

This time, the mention of the toy made her blush. Mark wondered if she had even remembered they were there. But never one to back down, she looked straight at him to answer.

"Yeah. He kept bothering me and Daniel while we were trying to work, so I built him a flashing yo-yo." She laughed to herself. "In hind-sight, I'm not sure of how good a plan that was. I've had to fix it more times than I can count, and I don't want to imagine the amount of times he's lost it off-… off on some camping trip or what-not."

Pete scoffed at her near miss. _Camping trip? Real original Sam._He gave her a pointed look to let her know he was on to her. She didn't even look his way. It seemed she was trying to ignore him too. Well, Pete Shanahan would not stand for that. He would get her to pay attention to him. And by the end of this day, Samantha Carter would realize she had made a big mistake leaving. She would be begging him to take her back before the day was through. He just had to let his boss know he wouldn't be coming in. His fiancées father had just passed away, after all.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Jack made his way outside with plastic cups full of juice and a soccer ball tucked under his arm. He walked over to where Sam's nieces were sitting with their mother and gave them a smile. The girls looked up at him and returned the gesture with their own angelic versions. Jack could just picture these two getting into trouble and giving some great elaborate excuse for it all. He kneeled in front of them in order to address them properly.

"I just had a chat with your dad, and he told me you girls just love apple juice. I happened to have some lying around in my refrigerator and was wondering if you were interested."

They nodded emphatically and he handed each of them a cup after dropping the ball to the ground. They said their thank you's and quickly downed their entire cups instantly.

"Whoa, slow down there. I don't plan on asking for it back, you know?" That got the desired giggles from them.

"Hey, no giggling allowed in this house."

This just made them giggle all the more. But he continued to speak to them, "Now, you know my name, but I seemed to have missed yours. Care to share?"

The oldest girl stood and put her hand out to Jack. "I'm Elisabeth. Nice to meet you General Jack!"

He shook her hand in earnest. "Nice to meet you too, Miss Elisabeth."

Then the younger girl got up from her seat and copied her big sister. "I'm Margaret. We already met at that other place where everyone was talking about my grampa."

Jack took her hand as well, smiling even more. This was probably the one who got into the most trouble. The Mini-Carter. "Nice to meet you as well, Miss Margaret."

Then he stopped, as if thinking something over. He noticed Sam coming over to them and gave the girls the ball to play with, advising them to stay away from the grill. He stood and rejoined the adult world, well as much as he would allow himself to anyway.

The girls' mother stood with him. "Thank you for that. I wasn't sure what else to do to keep them from doing any damage to your house."

"Nah, don't worry about it. They can't do any more harm than I have over the years."

"Thank you anyway. They really liked you."

He smiled and shook his head in embarrassment. He was saved from answering by Sam's arrival and comment. "He has that effect sometimes. Kids just seem to adore him. It might something to do with his forgetting to grow up himself, I think."

He grinned, "And I'm damn proud of that."

They watched Sam's nieces kick the ball back and forth, getting Siler to join in the game with them. After about five minutes, Jack remembered what had struck him earlier.

"Hey, how come you never told me your brother was a fan of the Simpsons?"

Sam and Jen looked at him as if he'd grown another head. "Mark doesn't watch the Simpsons. Right, Jen?"

Her sister-in-law agreed. "He isn't into cartoons. Usually the girls will watch, but I have never seen Mark take the slightest interest."

"Oh, then you must be the fan in the family."

"No, I only ever catch it when the girls are watching."

He frowned. Then he smiled. It was actually so much sweeter this way. Sam looked at him and tried to think of anything that might have given her CO that impression. Then her eyes narrowed and she looked over at the mini soccer match. She rolled her eyes in understanding and started to giggle. When she looked at Jen, who still had no clue, she began to giggle even more.

"Colonel, how many times have I told you no giggling?" Jack told her, but of course he wasn't taken seriously, he never was.

"Oh, sir, I'm sorry. I never caught that. I can't believe I never noticed. We even call them Maggie and Lisa."

Jen looked at her confused. Obviously this was about her daughters, but she couldn't for the life of her understand the subtext. "What's wrong with their names?"

Jack grinned in his 'cat that got the cream' way. "Absolutely nothing. They are great names. In fact, some of my favorite girl names. Right up there with Dorothy and Glinda."

Sam saw this wouldn't help her understand and butted in. "They're the names of the two daughters on the Simpsons. The General here is a big fan of the show. Pretty much lives his life on Homer Simpson philosophy."

She looked at her daughter and couldn't help but laugh along with Sam. "So that would make me Marge, wouldn't it? Boy, do I have to tell Mark about this. He'll hate being compared to a cartoon character."

Feigning offence, Jack jumped right in to defend himself. "Hey, Homer isn't _just_ a cartoon character. He represents all that's good and wholesome in the world. He's a family man, he loves his wife, provides for his children. He even has a dog."

Sam shook her head and patted him on the arm. "Yes, sir, Homer Simpson is a wonderful role model."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Are you mocking me?"

"Never, sir, I have complete respect for your opinions."

"Now I know you're mocking me." He crossed his arms. "You know, that's insubordination right there." He saw Hammond coming over to them and spoke louder. "General, I'd like to bring Colonel Carter up on insubordination charges. She's mocking me, sir."

The man smiled at his kids. O'Neill would never change. "Oh, Jack. Are you sure? I mean, think of all the paperwork you'd have to file. Then we'd have to set a court date. And you know she would find a way to say you were wrong in the first place."

"He's right, sir. You wouldn't be able to prove a thing. Besides, they like me better over at the Pentagon anyway."

He considered his options carefully. "You know, Carter, sometimes you're just too smart for your own good."

"You wouldn't have me any other way…..Sir." She attached the last bit as an afterthought, only the sight of General Hammond reminding her that this was still a slightly formal gathering.

The General stuck around speaking to them and admiring his friend's granddaughters as Jack went to check on the food.

No one noticed the two men watching their conversation from the shadows. Neither had missed the flirting between the two officers. They had both seen how at ease they were with each other, and how comfortable they were teasing the other.

What had also not escaped Mark's notice was that General Hammond, whom he knew was still General O'Neill's superior, and therefore his sister's as well, seemed to approve of this thing between them. He actually seemed to encourage the banter and even joined in on it. He had to get his sister alone to talk, soon.

Pete, on the other hand, was seething with anger. They had just broken up, her father had just died, and already she was throwing herself at _him_ like some whore. Who did she think she was? This farce of a reception was just to show the world that Jack O'Neill was running the show, and that Samantha Carter followed along with whatever he said, just to get a little bit of the limelight. It was pathetic. And she would be his. He would make sure of it.

He needed a beer.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Daniel and Teal'c were inside speaking with one of Sam's aunt's when the door burst open. A wild-haired brunette came rushing through, frantically calling out.

"Sam, Jack? Sam, where are you?"

She spotted Daniel and Teal'c, who had risen to greet her, and went to them.

"Hey Danny, T. Have you guys seen Sam or Jack? I got here as quick as I could." She rushed her words out, almost out of breath.

"Cass, slow down. Breath. I'm fine, how are you? Pleasant weather we're having, isn't it?" Daniel smirked at the girl. She might not have been biologically Janet Frasier's daughter, but the girl had gotten something form the doctor.

Teal'c smirked and bowed his head. "It is good to see you CassadraFraiser."

The girl rolled her eyes at the men who had become her uncles. "H-e-l-l-o. How are you? I am fine too. Now where are they?"

Daniel shook his head. "They're right outside. Just slow it down. They're not going anywhere."

Before he had even finished what he was saying, the little ball of energy was already gone, leaving the guests in the living-room in a whirlwind. The women Daniel and Teal'c had been speaking with looked at them questioningly. They proceeded to explain who Cassandra was and who her mother had been.

As they talked they could hear the exasperated shouting coming from the girl in question.

"Sam!" She yelled as soon as she spotted her Guardian.

The Colonel turned around at the unexpected voice. "Cass? What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at school."

The college freshman narrowed her eyes at the woman. "Did you really think I wouldn't come? This is Grandpa Jake were talking about."

Sam smiled sadly at her and opened her arms, stealing a line from her CO she said, "C'mere."

The teen threw herself into the opened arms and started to cry. Sam couldn't help herself at the despair Cassandra was showing, and started shedding a few tears as well. Cassie had bonded with her father growing up. Since Janet's parents had already passed when she had been adopted, Jake had stepped in with George Hammond to fill in the roll whenever he was in town.

Jack saw the attention they were drawing and stepped closer. He put his arms around both of them to shield them from prying eyes. And he couldn't deny the little joy he felt at having both his girls in his arms, even if for only a moment.

When Cassie had settled down and was drying her eyes, Mark decided it was his moment. He really had been very patient with everything, but this was too much. The warm family moment was beyond his level of comprehension. They were both acting as if this was their daughter. Now he knew his sister hadn't been pregnant and given birth before she joined this operation, but he knew nothing of this man. Could Sam have really come into the man's life and practically adopted, at least emotionally, his daughter? Everything pointed to them having an emotionally entangled relationship, and still NOBODY seemed to care.

"Excuse me. Could someone please tell me what's going on around here?"

No one had dared speak while the little family had their moment. Everyone from the SGC knew what Cassandra meant to SG-1, particularly the two leaders. Even the ones who weren't sure, knew this was a private moment. When Mark raised his question, the entire group stared at him as if he'd grown a second head. Sam only cringed and shared a look with Jack. She'd forgotten to mention her guardian status.

"Maybe we should have this conversation inside."

He narrowed his eyes. "Sure, lead the way. But I want some answers."

Pete came through the crowd and lifted his eyebrow. "No, I want to hear this. You never explained your relationship with her to me either. I think I desserve an explanation too."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-


	5. So Long and Surprise

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

So Long and Surprise

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The world stopped as Sam registered that Pete was still there. And then she realized that he had demanded something of her. Her eyebrows shot through her hairline. She _owed_ him? What the hell else did she owe him now?

"Pete, while I admit I shouldn't have promised you a future I couldn't give, I don't owe you a single thing, much less an explanation about something that you have nothing to do with."

Mark cut in. "Don't you think I ought to know though? I have no idea what is going on here. The military things I get, but seriously, how close are you and your CO that you apparently keep clothes over here? And then this girl, of whom I have never even heard, comes in crying like she lost _her_ family. And so many other things that just don't add up, Sam. I'd just like to understand what the hell is going on around here."

His eyes were pleading with her to help him out.

Jack brought his hands up. "Ok, here's how this is going to work. Carter and Mark will take this little discussion into the den. Cass, go get a drink and sit with Daniel. Pete, you leave. I think you have overstayed your welcome."

Pete was incensed. "Like hell I will O'Neill. I gave my life to that woman and she never had the decency to explain how you could have a child together. Especially since she was always so sure to let me know there was _nothing_ going on between you."

Jack wasn't fazed. "Yeah, you are. My house, my choice. I decide who stays and who goes." He nodded to Teal'c to approach.

Sam put her hand on Jack's arm to hold him back and down. "Pete, I believe the General is right. You've had too much to drink already. I need to speak with Mark, and it's best if we sat down alone to talk."

While unhappy to be told what to do, Mark accepted the orders given to him. If it got his sister to explain what was going on around here, he was all for it. Pete, as always, was another story. He stepped up to Sam and Cassie and firmly stood his ground.

"Come on Sam, we're all friends here. Just tell us. How long you been whoring out to the brass for? I don't mind, it just means you'll get a better pension once we're married and you retire."

Not a peep was heard around the backyard. The entire crowd had gathered to watch the spectacle, but now the wise ones knew to step away. The Generals in attendance and SG-1 were the only ones sticking around, and more to protect the man from the beating he was sure to be getting.

Sam's face became beet red in embarrassment and anger, while the vein on the side of Jack' neck began throbbing in an ever increasing tattoo. Cassie was the first to react, not allowing enough time for anyone to hold her back before she proved why she'd won so many fighting awards. Right as her fist connected with a resounding thud to Pete's chin, knocking loose one of his teeth, she made sure to verbalize all her feelings of hate.

"You fucking prick. You asshole, son-of-a-bitch."

Her right hand was on a similar flight plan as her left had been on, when she felt herself being lifted away from her target by an invisible force from behind her. She then noticed that Jack had been that invisible force, pulling her away before the cop could retaliate. On his end, Teal'c had taken point and was performing a similar maneuver with the aforementioned police officer.

"Come on, Jack. I could have taken him!" Cassie shouted as Jack took her up the steps and into the house, making sure to move her as far into the recesses as possible. With her history, she would find a way of hurting the man even more before he could be gotten rid of.

Outside, time was still standing still. Teal'c held the man effortlessly, knowing he should be taking the offending person in his arms into the driveway and depositing him in his vehicle. But he knew, by taking one glance at Sam, that he would not be going anywhere until the woman had her say. She was a formidable warrior in her own right, and deserved to avenge her own honor. He stood his ground, not swaying to the demands to be unhanded by the true shol'va before him.

Mark watched all around him in even more fascination than before. That child had packed a mean punch, and he could see the damage she had done to his friend's face. Well, maybe he couldn't be called friend anymore. If he really had been good for his sister, and loved her, he wouldn't have made that comment, now would he? But the people around her, they had all moved in as one to contain the situation and make sure she would be protected from the stares. The General had taken charge of course, but that archeologist had managed to get everyone inside the house, the big man had instantly gotten hold of Pete, and even that child had jumped on a man larger than she to fight off the would-be attack. It was incredible. Even the brass had been taken aback, and were so socked at the accusations that none had remained but that friend of his fathers, Hammond, was it?

Sam stepped closer to Pete and looked him straight in the eye. "You know, I have been accused of this sort of thing my whole life in the military. It has come to the point that I even expect it at every promotion, especially with the latest. But I never expected for someone who actually knew me to say anything so low about my character. You were right about one thing, everyone here today is a personal friend of mine, or my father's. They all know me, and can all attest to the person I am. I am glad I gave you that ring back. It hurts a whole hell of a lot less now. You just proved to me what a terrible mistake I would have made by marrying you. Thank you for proving my god-daughter right and I hope that chin hurts like hell." She hissed out the last line through her barely opened teeth.

She then turned her eyes up to her friend, her gaze still sharp and unchanging. "Take him out to the curb and wait for the cops to come. The General was going to call someone down from the precinct to arrest him for D&D."

Teal'c bowed his head and did as he was asked. It would be his pleasure to see the Gonach out of the way.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Jack came back outside, sans Cassandra who had decided to take root on Jack's couch with a soda and converse with the Carter aunts, in part to reassure them that she wasn't some lunatic, in part because Jack hadn't allowed her back outside. He walked over to where Sam and Mark were standing. He could see how upset Sam still was about the entire ordeal and with good reason as well. He had managed to hold himself from hitting the bastard only because of Sam's steadfast hold on his arm. Otherwise he would have most assuredly beat Cassie to the punch as it was. While still inside, he had spoken to the Generals and explained the situation to them. To his surprise, they had understood and reminded him that, had that ever been an issue, Lt. Col. Samantha Carter would never have achieved her rank and standing within the military, much less the SGC.

He could hear Sam trying, unsuccessfully to reassure Mark.

"You don't have to worry so much. The guys would never let anything happen to me, and they wouldn't hurt Pete unless I told them to either."

"That doesn't make any sense to me, Sam. You always go around with this 'I-am-a-soldier. I-can-protect-myself' chip on your shoulder. Now you accept the help of others." He paused and corrected himself. "Not that I don't think that's great. You aren't superwoman, no matter how much you want to be. But I don't understand how a military base inside a mountain, studying deep what…"

"Deep Space Radar Telemetry"

"Yeah, _that_, could bring people as close as you all seem to be. What the hell could big-and-badass over there possibly do on your 'team'?"

Jack could see the frustration on her face. This wasn't the sort of conversation to have in the middle of his backyard, anyone present could bear witness. It also wasn't a conversation to have with the Tok'ra coming in the middle. Quickly Jack stepped forward and intercepted Anise before she could take the final steps towards the Carter siblings.

"Hey, what can I do for ya?"

She paused and cocked her head to the left. Her voice came out as Anise, but Jack knew he was speaking to Freya at the moment. "I wish to speak with Col. Carter and her brother, Mark."

"I don't think know is a good time."

"But I must. Jacob Carter left something in my possession to give to them. The Tok'ra must return to our base soon and I must give this to them before we do so."

"Give it to me and I'll make sure they get it."

"That is not acceptable!" The woman/snake was pissed.

Jack could see her eyes wanting to glow, just to show him they could. But he wasn't backing down easily. Fortunately he didn't have to. Sam noticed the soon-to-be argument and came to ask if everything was alright. She had been keeping tabs all day to make sure Jack and their allies didn't cross paths and knew the moment they stepped next to each other. Mark, of course, tagged along for the ride.

"Anise here says she's got something from Dad for you guys. I told her to leave it with me, but she wants to talk to you."

Sam nodded. "That's alright, sir." She turned to Anise. "Would you like to speak to us in private, or can you give us whatever it is here?"

Anise bowed her and came to control her body once again. "Before your father left for his last assignment, he left a few of his personal items in my possession. When he passed, I knew it was time to bring them to you. Selmak also wished you to have these."

She pulled two satchels from under her robes and handed them to Sam.

"Thank you. Did they say what was in here?"

"No, neither mentioned anything concerning the contents, and I did not presume to look."

"Oh, ok. Thank you for bringing them and keeping them safe all this time."

Anise bowed her head. "It was my honor so serve with both Jacob and Selmak. They were true believers of our cause and gave their lives to keep us safe."

Sam bowed her head in respect of the woman before her. The General might hate her, but she had proven herself to be mildly trustworthy and had honored her father's wishes. That was what mattered now.

The Tok'ra excused herself and went to meet with the rest of her group by the gate. Again Mark looked questioningly at Sam. Assignment? Their father had been on assignment? And what cause was this? He knew there was trouble in the Middle East, but none of them looked Arab. In fact, they all looked European, and he couldn't think of a single European country that would require such help as they were implying. Maybe Georgia? But, hadn't his father been an ambassador of some sort? How had he given his life for these people?

The puzzle just kept growing.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

After all the commotion, and before the steaks had actually been ready, much of the SGC personnel decided it was time to go. Things had gotten even more personal than normal and they knew the family needed to resolve their issues on their own. They had shown their support to SG-1 and the Carter family, and that was all they could do for now. The President himself had decided not to come to the gathering, having chosen to pay his respects at the funeral, but the few Secretaries that had come over bid farewell at the same time.

After the guests who were neither family nor team members made their exit, the ones who remained made their way into the living room. General Hammond was the only one of the Washington delegates to remain a few moments more in order to speak one last time to Jacob's sisters, and make sure Sam knew to contact him if she had any problems.

Mark noticed his leaving and decided to be courteous to the only man there who had spoken to him as himself and not just Sam's brother. He supposed General Hammond wasn't as bad as most of the Generals he'd met in his life, but the jury was still out on the verdict.

Once the door had finally closed behind the last guests, everyone really settled in. His aunts remained on the couch they had been sitting in from the beginning, softly talking to the girl who had viciously protected his sister; the archeologist was telling some sort of story to his daughters and he noticed the General had gone back outside to finish burning the meat. His sister and the big black man were nowhere to be found. He went in search of them, intent on having that conversation his sister had been avoiding.

He approached the other end of the house and heard voices coming from the room his sister had changed in earlier. At first he couldn't make out the words, but as he came nearer they became clearer. Then the problem became not understand what in the world they were speaking of.

"ColonelCarter, would it not be best if O'Neill assisted you with this task?"

"No, Teal'c, it's better if you help me. While the General has great gut feelings and can spot ancient rather well, you know you're the only one who really understands anything Goa'uld."

"That may be, but I believe in this instance you require more emotional help than intellectual."

He could hear the smile in his sister's voice as she answered her oblivious friend. "T, you are just as good at that as he is. But if you feel uncomfortable, I guess I can wait…"

Teal'c cut her off. "It would be my honor SamanthaCarter."

There was a slight pause and Mark heard soothing being moved, and perhaps the sound of someone sitting on the bed.

"Well, here goes. Let's see dad's first. It's most likely earth things and nothing to worry about."

More shuffling could be heard and silence.

"I didn't know he had this with him."

"Who is the woman in the photo?"

"My mom."

"She was very beautiful. It is easy to see why JacobCarter chose her as his mate."

He could hear Sam's soft chuckle through the door. That was when he realized she was opening the packages that woman had given them. He thought they were supposed to be opened by them, together. He wanted to bust into the room, but held himself back. If he could hold on just a bit longer maybe his sister would say something revealing and he would finally know what she really did.

A few moments later he heard his sister clearing her throat and more shuffling around. "Ok, let's see what Selmak left us. Do you feel anything from the satchel Teal'c?"

"A very slight 'hum', I believe you would call it."

"Yeah, me too. It's technology that only the Goa'uld or Tok'ra can use." She paused, likely examining whatever it was this Selmak had given them. "Do you know what this is?"

"It has been a long time since I have seen one, but it is an equivalent of the Tau'ri video camera. It records images and then plays them back in a hologram. Apophis used them to send messages to his lords in different planets. Since it can only be activated by someone with Naquadah in their blood, no Jaffa could intercept it."

Many of the words used went completely over his head. But he was pretty sure the man had spoken of a dead Egyptian god and made mention of other planets. But that couldn't have been right. And what the hell was Naquadah and why was it in people's blood. Between the planets, fake gods, and blood talk, Mark was beginning to wonder if his father and sister belonged to some sort of cult.

"Then I guess she meant for me to open this."

"Would you like me to leave you alone to listen to the message?"

"No, stay. I don't think I can do this alone."

"As you wish."

The only reason Mark didn't burst through this time was that he didn't know this Selmak and his sister seemed to have cared for whoever he or she was. He would make sure she explained this later to him as well. Now he was curious as to what was being said. There were some swishing and clicking sounds and then a disjointed, garbled voice began speaking. It didn't sound human, as if it had been put through a voice machine of some sort.

"Greetings, Samantha. If you have received this, than we have not made it back from the mission the high council has set before us. I trusted Anise with this recording and hope it found itself into your hands in due time.

"Your father is not aware of what I am saying, though he knows I have chosen to leave you this memory. These last years with Jacob have been quite different from any other in my life. I had no idea the tau'ri could be so interesting and his humor has been a great relief during our times alone. He has even managed to teach me a few things, which I am sure you know for us Tok'ra is quite hard.

"But, that is not the reason I have decided to leave this Que'shar* for you. I have decided your father shall be my last host. I do not know when our next mission shall be, nor how many more we shall have before this reaches your hands, but my mind is made up. Your father does not know this as yet. He would likely not agree. I am old, and I am tired. Let this fight be given over to the young and the ones with strength to fight still.

"I know this comes as a surprise to you, and it shall to the Tok'ra when the time comes. Nothing will change my mind, and in a way, I am glad you are viewing this. It means my wish to die in battle with your father was answered.

"Please know, Samantha, that we wish you the very best in all you do. You know well that the bond between a symbiote and host is quite unique, and very emotional. I have come to love you and your brother as deeply as your father does. We want only the best for you. As your father would like to tell you, and as I too feel in my experience, do not allow for others to dictate how you choose to live your life. One of the greatest emotions I was allowed to experience was the love between true 'soulmates' as your father calls it. Do not deny yourself this opportunity because of what your Air Force tells you. I know how strongly your father still feels for your mother, and I can see in your eyes how you truly feel.

"There is not much time left on the Que'shar, and I have only one last thing to say. Remember your father loved you, and know that he was my favorite host. We bonded more than any other before him, and I know I hold a special place in his heart as well. Be well Samantha, and follow your heart."

Mark knew the recording had ended. He wasn't sure what to say. He was very confused by a lot of what had been said, but some of it he understood. This person had been a constant in his father's life these past few years. They went on missions together and this person was in love with his father it seemed. Actually, if you went by what the guy said, the feelings were mutual. It seemed his father was aware of what was going on with his sister and her CO, because he basically just told her to screw the regs. And his father agreed. Maybe. Now if he could find out what all this symbiote and host things were code for, he would be really getting somewhere. He could hear his sister crying from inside and knew it was finally time to go in.

He knocked on the door and turned the handle. It was locked. Seconds later Teal'c opened it for him.

"Hi, I was looking for you. I think the steaks are ready."

He could see his sister was turned away from the door and moved to enter the room. He wanted her to tell him what all this was about. He didn't get very far before Teal'c stopped him.

"We will be out shortly."

"Excuse me, but that is my sister. I think I have a right to see why she's crying."

Sam turned around waved her friend away. "It's ok T. I should show him the things dad left."

He bowed and left the room, closing the door behind him. What they didn't see, but Sam knew, was that he stood guard at the door so no one else could enter.

Sam stood and brought him the satchel Jacob had left in Anise's care for them.

"I think dad wanted you to have these."

He opened the leather up and pulled out a portrait and a small box. He could see why Sam had been in awe when she had seen this before. Their mother really had been gorgeous. He had forgotten.

"Wow. I haven't seen a picture of her in years." He looked up at his sister. "You look a lot like her."

Sam blushed. "I guess. She was much prettier though."

"Nah, I say it's about the same."

If possible her blush deepened. Her brother had barely spoken two words to her without biting her head off, and here he was giving her a compliment. "Thanks."

He put the box on top of the frame and removed the lid. "Have you looked inside yet?"

"No, I wanted to see what was in the other bag first."

Mark nodded as he perused the contents. His parents' wedding rings were in there, on a chain. There were also a few pictures of Mark and his family. A couple were of Sam and her friends. He pulled those out and gave to his sister.

"Maybe these should be yours."

She took them and smiled. "Yeah, I didn't even know the General had given him a copy."

The pictures were of different team gatherings her father had participated in. They all featured her and her father in one way or another.

Mark kept pulling things out of the box and stopped when he reached a pebble with some markings on it.

"Hmm, what do you suppose this is."

He gave her the rock and she felt an instant tingling. Her brows furrowed. How come she hadn't felt its presence before?

"Was it inside anything, or just in the box?"

"It was in this pouch." He handed her the black casing and saw his sister become concentrated on the things in her hands.

"I don't know what it is, but I know some people who might."

"Ok."

After going through the rest of the contents, Mark closed the lid once more and looked at his sister. By looking at her, you wouldn't be able to tell she had just lost control of her emotions.

"Now, can we have that talk you've been avoiding? I heard you and Teal'c in here and I have some more questions."

Sam froze. He couldn't have? "How much did you hear?"

"All of it I think, not that I understood half."

Sam shook her head. "Dammit, Mark! You shouldn't have done that."

"Come on! Are you really going to play that bullshit confidential, need-to-know military crap?"

"Yes! I can't tell you and keep you safe at the same time." She was losing her patience again. But at least she now knew her brother's true motives.

"No, don't give me that. Our father is dead Sam. He had a foreign lover, who is also apparently dead. AND, instead of being the retired foreign diplomat you all were telling me he was going on secret missions. Missions, I might add, you knew about!"

"Alright. Fine. I'm tired of arguing, and you do have a right to know something. I can't tell you right now. I need to get permission and find out how much I can reveal to you. Based on what you heard, you will be getting a big debrief I imagine."

Glad to have finally gotten something, and curious as to how his sister would get permission to reveal government secrets to a civilian, he simply nodded. "Thank you."

"And, just so we're clear, you can't mention any of this to Jen. I know she's your wife, but you can't. Once you hear everything you are going to understand why. Just wait until then before spilling everything."

"Sa-am!"

She put her hand up. "No, Mark. You either agree or we will not be having any talk. I could get into a lot of trouble just by having opened that thing in this house. I don't want to think what they would do if they found out you had heard it as well."

He put his hands up in protest. "Who the hell would believe me?"

"A lot more people than you imagine. And," she smirked and cringed at the same time, "trust me when I say that they weren't lovers. Actually when you find out who Selmak was, that thought will be more repugnant than thinking of mom and dad having sex."

She shivered as she stepped around him. "Oh, and no Googling of any of the words you heard and didn't understand either. There are groups out there that have them on a taboo. Any time they are entered anywhere on the internet these people can trace it. You don't want that."

Mark frowned. "Are you trying to scare me on purpose?"

"Yes. You need to be very afraid right now, Mark. This is serious stuff you are messing with. I am only going along because I don't want you asking the wrong questions to the wrong people and getting yourself killed."

She turned once more and made her way to the living room. She was hungry and could smell the juicy meat from over here. Later she would speak to Jack about her brother. Now she would sit with her family and finally relax for the first time that day. She had decisions to make later.

Mark followed quietly behind her, closing the door to the General's room. Just when he thought he figured something out... Damn military!

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

A/N

*vocabulary*

Shol'va – traitor

Gonach – something akin to asshole, from the stargate goa'uld dictionary

Que'shar – a word I made up to mean goa'uld video camera


	6. Past and Future

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Past and Future

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Sam took a plate and added the steak Jack had prepared for her. She nodded her thanks and both moved to sit on the love seat in his living room. Cassie snuggled in between them purposefully. The girl tried to lean over into Sam's plate and sneak a bite, but Sam was quicker than she was and cut her off with a tap of her fork at the back of Cassie's hand.

"Get your own."

The girl huffed. "But Sa-am, it's only your meat he doesn't burn. Every single other piece out there is charred through."

Sam just smiled at her, "You need to learn how to ask nicely. I'm sure he'd be willing to not burn a steak for you too."

Jack piped into their conversation. "I do _not_ burn my meat. I simply prefer it with more **flavor**."

Daniel snorted into his beer, causing a coughing fit to take over his breathing abilities. Teal'c clapped him soundly on the back, appearing to be trying to help. Sam and Cassie chose to simply stare and laugh.

"See, Jack, even space-monkey agrees." Cassie said, looking up at him with false sweetness after she had had her fun laughing.

Mark looked on at the behavior before him. The bunch of them were children, that much he had already determined, but they were becoming drunk children. He wasn't sure he should stick around with his daughters for much longer. They might start witnessing things they shouldn't.

For now he continued observing them in horrified fascination. His sister, who to him always looked so by the book and uptight, was continuously teasing this general. They were both too comfortable together, and yet she still said there was nothing there.

He saw that the girl who had been sitting between his sister and her boss had switched places with Sam so she could be closer to his children. They had found some paper and crayons, where he would never guess, and were happily doodling. The girl, or really young woman, sat by them and started creating a story with them from the drawings they had so far. He had to smile. Maybe this child wasn't as much of a problem as he had originally thought. She cared enough for his sister to stand up to what she viewed as a threat, and she liked his kids.

He caught his wife's eyes on him and nodded. He was fine for now. They turned back to the conversation of people before them. They all looked more relaxed than they had all afternoon. His sister had leaned back on the couch and had her head resting on the closest shoulder, of course that of her CO, who in turn had put his arm around her and was calmly nursing his beer in his right hand. Daniel, the archeologist (he still couldn't understand his placement within this group), was sitting on the floor, his legs splayed before him, head lying back on one of the couch cushions, eyes closed and a serene smile on his face. And the big man, which is how Mark identified him in his mind now, sat as stoically as the moment Mark had first met him. There were no discerning differences Mark could point out. The man was a closed book, except for that eyebrow that seemed to have a life of his own, and maybe that slight twitching of his lips that he hadn't figured out yet.

"Hey, remember that time Jack stole Jacob's… plane?" Daniel opened his eyes before he said the last word and looked at Mark and Jen. It was almost as if he had had to come up with a word, and plane wasn't it.

Everyone else seemed to have caught on quickly because no one blinked an eye. All that is, but Cassie. "You stole grandpa Jacob's ship? Why?"

Sam quickly corrected her and then looked inquisitively up at her CO. "Plane, Cass; and yes, sir, do tell. You've never really explained what happened that day."

General O'Neill rolled his eyes and took a swig of his beer. "Come on, do I really have to say it?"

Daniel sat up from his position. "Yes, Jack. You do."

"I concur, O'Neill." Teal'c's voice came out from the corner of the room, momentarily reminding Mark of his presence.

Even Mark and his wife were looking at him expectantly. Jack slumped even more into the couch and mumbled into his beer bottle. The only one who apparently heard him was Sam who cackled from her position.

"Come on, Jack. Say it a little louder so the rest of the class can hear." Daniel urged him on.

Jack looked down at Sam, knowing that if he didn't say something, she _would_.

"Fine," He gave in with a flourish of his beered hand. "It was pay-back."

Daniel urged him on. "Pay-back for what Jack. As I recall, Jacob had bowed to your every whim on that one."

Jack mumbled again into his beer. Sam nudged his side with her elbow and he glowered back at her. Then he lifted his eye to the rest of the group and told them.

"He stole my favorite yo-yo."

Daniel and Cassie started laughing hysterically themselves, Sam joined in again. Teal'c's eyebrow rose in what Mark took to mean amusement since his lips were doing that twitching thing again. Jen decided to ask the question that was on Mark's mind.

"So your friendship with Dad was based on stolen toys?"

Daniel answered her, "Well, the plane I suppose could be considered a toy, but really it was a…" Again the supposed linguist struggled to find the right word.

Sam helped out. "A collector's item: a really nice collector's item, life-size and fully functioning." She chuckled, "At least before the General took it."

"I did not break that plane." He pointed his finger around the room, glaring at Cassie before looking out into the backyard. "The snakes did that."

Mark's wife nodded. If she was really understanding he wasn't sure, but she was good at pretending. Kids will do that to a person.

"Was it a complete loss, or was it fixable? I'd love to see it, especially if it was a collectible."

There was a collective pause throughout the room. Jen had one thing Mark had never seen outside of the air-force: a blazing passion for air-crafts, all types. Sam didn't know this, and apparently wished they hadn't mentioned dad's plane in the first place.

"Well, it isn't exactly reachable." She began to explain.

"Well, no, Sam that's not completely true. I'm sure we could reach _this_ one." Daniel tried to help, "We just wouldn't be able to bring it back."

"Or ourselves." Jack added, again going for his beer. Man that man could drink.

Jen looked around. "What do you mean? What happened to it?"

Teal'c, who was the only one sober in the room apart from the kids, answered succinctly. "O'Neill crashed it into a body of water 5 kilometers from where he took it."

"Don't say it like that T-man." The General corrected him.

Jen was in minor shock. "You crashed a collector's item plane? Are you nuts?"

"Yes, he is." Cassie told the group. "Tell them what else Uncle Jack destroyed."

Again the O'Neill glare tried to penetrate his young charge. "How about I tell them about the car you destroyed?"

There was a momentary silence as Cassie realized the severity of the words her god-father had just spoken. It took even less time for Sam to figure out what he had meant. Now the Carter glare joined the O'Neill glare. "Does he mean my beautiful little blue sport's car that two unnamed persons told me had been stolen?" She turned her eyes at Jack.

"Oops?" And, "Doh!" were the two simultaneous responses from the guilty parties. Unfortunately for them, Daniel remembered another detail from the same time period.

"Hey, wasn't that when you had Thor send something into your lake, Jack?"

"Daniel!" Jack groaned.

"You sent my car into your lake?" The _sir_ was completely forgotten for the moment.

Mark cringed. General or no, you don't mess with Sam's car. Mark remembered it well. She had bought it when she was still living in DC and treasured it more than her life at times. Mark waited for the explosion that had been building up.

"Oh, you are so lucky I can't touch you, _Sir,_but you Cass? I am cutting off your allowance for a month, at least! And Thor? Let our little 'buddy' know that the next time his people need saving he had better have a hell of a lot more to offer than his gratitude."

She pointed at the two _children_ next to her and wished Thor had been there right then and there to give her a piece of her mind. Asgard or no, he should have known better than going along with the General's subterfuge.

"That little guy had better find a way to pull my car out and fix it." She turned back to Jack. "Actually, if he was so willing to help you throw it in the lake, why couldn't you ask him to fix it in the first place? He likes me, remember?"

If there was ever a time Jack wished his little buddy _were_ hanging about in the skies, it was now. He even looked up at the ceiling wishing to be beamed up. But as always, his wish could not be fulfilled.

"You see, Carter, Thor did actually, maybe, slightly, fix it up a bit. But there was this whole national security thing involved, you know, because some of the stuff he used wasn't technically allowed off the mountain..." His voice trailed off at the end, hoping she would get his meaning. He took another big gulp from his liquid courage.

Daniel looked about ready to blow an artery from the discussion going on in front of him. "Guys, maybe we can talk about this another time?"

"You're right Danny. We should move on. How about the time Jacob took you undercover?" Jack looked pointedly at Daniel. It was his fault Sam found out about the car, so it was his turn to be embarrassed. Fair is fair.

Daniel turned away. "I don't seem to recall that."

Teal'c tilted his head, and Mark could tell that everyone knew Daniel was lying.

"DanielJackson, was that not the time you became the servant of Yu?"

Mark was now confused. "You had to be your own servant?"

Before Jack could get his own, slightly overdone joke in, Daniel silenced him. "Don't."

Jack just smiled.

Sam egged him on. "Yeah Daniel, what was it dad had you wearing that time? Janet couldn't keep her eyes off you when she found out."

Daniel had the good graces to blush, remembering quite well how much Janet had appreciated that costume. Fortunately for him, Cassie had never learned of his and Janet's little past-time.

"Eww Sam. That's disgusting!"

Mark was intrigued. His father was Air Force, special ops at the most. This spy they kept referencing was someone completely new to him.

"What kind of costume are we talking here?" Jen asked for him. She was loving this get together much more than Mark apparently.

Sam smiled evilly at the man she considered like a brother. Revenge on him was feeling particularly sweet, the way only siblings can feel when tattling on each other.

"Think S&M servant-boy, Egyptian style. Add a completely waxed chest and aromatic oils."

Her sister-in-law's eyes bugged out before she started laughing along with everyone else. Daniel being dully embarrassed decided now was a perfect time to change topics. And what better way than to payback the embarrassment he had just gone through.

"Ah, yes hardy-har-har. But I seem to recall two even more embarrassing outfits he made some people wear."

Sam's eyes narrowed. There was one mission she really wished would never be brought up again, which the entire mountain knew not the mention, and drunk-Daniel just might be the one person who wouldn't have the sense to shut it. He would just have to remember it now, if this was going where she thought it was.

"Daniel, don't." Jack cut in next to her.

"Oh come on, Jack," he pouted. "Mark should hear about when his sister got married to you. It was really funny."

Jack wasn't fast enough to stop the words from coming out of his mouth, but Teal'c was strong enough to throw him over a shoulder and carry him off before more could fall out.

"Come DanielJackson. I believe it is time for you to rest."

"But I wanna tell Mark about Sam's wedding dress."

"You may speak of it tomorrow."

Their voices wined down as they entered their guest room in Jack's house but the weight of Daniel's words hung heavy in the air. Mark stared at Sam with an I-told-you-so expression.

"So, Sam… There's nooothing going on here, huh? He's simply your husband, nothing more."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Come _on!_ You cannot be that stupid?"

"Sir," Sam cut it. "It's alright. The way Daniel put it, there does seem to be something we're keeping from him." She turned back to her brother. "Mark, our jobs aren't as cut and dry as regular military. I told you that I would get the clearance for you to find out part of what we do at the mountain, and that will include our sometimes' undercover work. Please don't start this again."

Cassie, the over-protective god-daughter, decided she should try and help smooth over the situation in her charming way. "Yeah, Jack's too old for anything and Sam's got too much brains to get it on with her boss."

Jack readily agreed. "Exactly! Wait, hey, I am not old. I'm distinguished."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

The tension in the room quickly dissipated as the resident children started bickering about who could be more immature. No one is sure who won.

As the _kinder_battled it out, the adults continued the questioning.

"Ok, fine, I will accept that half-assed answer for now. But I am still not convinced."

"Thank you, Mark." She looked at her two nieces who had fallen asleep on each other. "Why don't you take my car back to the house? I'll take Daniel's and follow in a few minutes. Do you still remember the way?"

"Sure. You probably have some _business_ to discuss with your _boss_." He answered.

She wanted to stamp her feet. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. Seeing as I haven't been in to work for two days, there actually are some things I need to clear up with my commanding officer." She fished in her bag and pulled out a set of keys. "If the girls need anything call me and I'll pick it up on my way home. I have to go by the store anyway."

"Actually, Carter, Siler already dropped some stuff off at your place this morning." Jack butted in.

Sam narrowed her eyes at him, but didn't question anything, not wanting to start something in front of her brother again. "Thank you, sir." She looked at Mark again. "Well, call me if Sgt. Siler forgot anything."

Jen stepped in and took the keys from Sam's hand. She hated to see the siblings argue but knew there was no avoiding it without someone breaking them apart. Mark made to go against his wife. The look she gave him stopped him at once and he allowed her to pass first as he went to collect their daughters.

When her brother and sister-in-law had left with the girls, Sam went in search of the recently departed Jack. She wasn't sure where they stood with their non-relationship having been brought up, but she did need to speak to him.

"Sir," she called as she saw him in his bedroom fixing things up for Cassandra.

"Carter. I heard the car, thought you'd left." He answered in his innocent way.

Samantha Carter knew better. He really might have thought she had gone without saying goodbye, but she could see he was glad she hadn't.

"No, Sir, still here. I wanted to say thank you for today." She stepped further into the room and thus closer to him. "It… I am just really… Thank you, Sir, really. You did so much more than you had to. I just wanted to tell you that I really appreciated it, all of it, so much."

"Sam, stop it. I told you I would always be there. I meant it. Always is forever."

"Yes, Sir." She lowered her head, close to falling apart in front of him. "Thank you."

She tried to hide the sound of her voice breaking from him, but it was futile. He could always hear every inflection in her tone, every break, every pause, every tear. He reached an arm out towards her and grasped her forearm, dragging her nearer to him as he stepped up to her. He encircled her in his arms and held her close as all the stresses of the day were finally released.

For the first time since her father had been pronounced dead she permitted herself to feel something. For the first time since her father had been pronounced dead she really understood what that meant in his regard. The reality was at last seeping in and she was glad it was happening in his arms rather than anywhere else in the universe.

For his part, with every tear he felt soaking into his shirt, Jack's heart broke little by little more until he was crying right along with Sam. He cried for her pain and he cried for all the pain they had already had to endure apart. He cried along with her until neither had anymore tears left to cry.

And after, when they both knew they should let go, they held on tighter to their embraces. Neither were willing to take further it than the exchange of comfort, but neither could find it in themselves to pull apart either. The warmth and smell of the other person was impregnating themselves into both parties. They sagged into one another to the point where they knew they would forever feel more comfortable together than apart.

After a while, and once the emotional impact of the simple hug had dwindled down, Jack decided to be the man in the room and say something.

"Not that I'm not loving the hugging and sharing of our emotions and all…"

"….but I should go home now. Yes, Sir" She finished for him.

"Yeah, what I was going to say. Just maybe without the 'Sir' bit."

Her lips turned up in a grin. Whenever, and if ever, they had a personal moment he would always try to get her to call him by his given name. So far, she had not given in, being the stronger of the two of them.

Tonight, after all the crap she had already been through, and all the crap that would hit the fan soon enough, she couldn't care less. Tonight she wasn't in Sir's arms. She wasn't embracing General O'Neill, Stargate Command leader. Tonight she was Sam and he was Jack. They were a shoulda-coulda-woulda pair who right now, at this moment in time, had been allowed a minor interlude.

She pulled her head off its resting place on his shoulder and looked him straight in the eye. If this was all she could give him, than she would do so gladly.

"Thank you, Jack, for catching me as I fell."

He smiled at her, trying to keep the excitement that she had finally called him by his name in check.

"Always, Samantha."

She smiled right back, if a bit wistfully.

"Always?"

"Always."

"No more Kerry?"

He answered her right back with a cringe on his face. "No. No more Pete?"

She shook her head. "Never."

"Good. Until we meet again, Samantha?"

"Until we meet again, Jack." She smiled her small, shy, specially-reserved smile.

He leaned over her and placed a kiss to her forehead. The conversation was over and it was time to go back to the real world and away from their time bubble.

They might not be in the perfect place, but they were a lot better than they had been a few hours prior. Who knew what lay ahead for them, they sure never did, but it would be one more adventure to face together.

She collected her things, gave a sleeping Cassie a kiss on the forehead as she passed the living-room couch, and headed to Daniel's car and home. Tomorrow was sure to bring new activities that she was sure were to be interesting if nothing else. And who knew what would await her as she got home tonight.

But as she drove home, Samantha Carter felt like a teenager who had just gotten her first kiss again. It might have been a peck on the forehead as she had gotten many times before, but it meant something more this time. She wouldn't risk anything while they were in the same chain of command. But somehow just knowing the chance still existed made all the difference. One day he would be completely hers and she would be his.

Back in his bedroom Jack put Cassandra to bed and went into the kitchen to set some things to right. It was still amazing to him that this magnificent woman would have him. She wanted him, probably almost as much as he wanted her. She hadn't given up on him. She still wanted to wait for him, and now he had a promise that she would. Tonight Jack O'Neill would get no sleep, of that he was sure.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-


	7. Taking a Breather

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

**Taking a breather**

A/N: I am truly sorry for the amount of time it is taking me between each chapter.  
>Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and favorite this story. It does this author's heart well.<br>Previous chapters have all been edited for small mistakes.

Enjoy.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The next morning dawned bright and early for the Carters. The girls naturally rose early, and Sam had decided to go back up to the mountain first thing in order to get the bureaucracy out of the way. After helping the children get something to eat and setting them up with cartoons, Samantha Carter left her home and headed to Cheyenne Mountain. She had almost made it to her office before a voice stopped her in the hallway, making her cringe in guilt.

"Carter? Now that couldn't possibly be you. Not when I expressly told you not to even think about setting foot in this place for another 5 days. No, my eyes must be deceiving me." General O'Neill stood at the end of the hallway pointing his finger at her.

So he'd caught her. It's not like she was going to avoid him completely. She did have to make it down to his office later to get his approval for Mark to be told of the Program. She had just hoped she would be able to get some work done before it came to that.

"Sir. I can ex…"

He cut her off short. "Save it!" He raised his hand. "There cannot possibly be a good reason for you to be here instead of with your family."

She tilted her head and quirked her eyebrow at him.

"Ok, there might be a good reason for you to be away from them, but none I would accept."

She tried again to reason with him. "Sir, really, I wasn't planning on coming in, but something came up. I needed to come speak to you actually."

He narrowed his eyes.

"Can we talk in my office, sir?"

He gestured with his hand for her to enter before him. He was a gentleman after all, and the view wasn't all bad from where he was standing either.

After they had settled in he looked at her expectantly. She breathed in deeply and began. "Yesterday I didn't have the chance to talk to you. Do you remember the things Anise delivered us from my father?"

He signaled that he, of course, remembered. Anything to do with that particular Tok'ra always seemed to be permanently ingrained into his memory due to sheer revulsion.

She went on to tell him all that had transpired, and the conversations that had been overheard by her brother. He couldn't say he was surprised by what Selmak had said. He'd grown to appreciate that little snake, in part anyway. Mark, on the other hand, had given him pause. It was the most sensibility he had demonstrated so far. Maybe there was hope for the other Carter as well.

"So, how much do you think we will need to disclose of the program?" He asked her once she had finished.

Giving Mark access was something they had discussed in the past. Seeing as both his sister and father were involved it did seem that something might come up which would require his prior knowledge. It seemed the time had come.

"However much you think is best, sir. Personally I would just like to have him understand that I will never be able to answer all his questions. It's just with what he heard, he will start to look into it if we don't give him something."

He ran his hands through his hair and thought on the subject. Jake had mentioned to him that this might need to happen once he was gone. He'd even taken steps to start the ball rolling. The president had given him carte blanche where the Carters were concerned, but that didn't leave him any surer of how much to tell the man.

"We'll do this. Day after tomorrow all the paperwork should be ready. You bring Mark in here and we'll give him the standard for the new recruits. Daniel and I have been working on a new version that we can test out on him. I'll have Danny send you the notes tonight so you can take a look and present it."

She nodded. "Can SG-1 be present?"

"Undomesticated equines couldn't keep me away."

She smiled. He took her hands in his and looked deep into her eyes. She knew what he wanted to know. He cared, and she loved that he cared.

"I'm alright. Don't worry."

"I can't help it, Sam. Not a damn thing has made me stopped caring so far. What makes you think I could ever stop?"

She knew there was a camera watching them, but who cared? She reached her hand over and cupped his cheek. "Thank you." She leaned over and kissed him lightly.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

When Sam arrived home an hour later, after having been kicked out by the General before she could even begin to look over her paperwork, she found her house in perfect order. Apparently Cass hadn't found the time to destroy the place as she played with her nieces, and her sister-in-law had managed to keep the peace.

"Jen, you didn't have to worry about tidying up. I was going to get to it as soon as got back."

"It was no trouble, Sam. Actually it was enjoyable, between leaving the girls with Cass, and Mark catching up on his e-mails. I managed to get some peace by washing the dishes."

Sam smiled, "Does he still read everything out loud, commenting on every other word?"

Her sister-in-law nodded.

"Yes, he does. When we first started dating, I thought it was cute. Now there are days I want to hit him over the head when he starts."

"He actually started doing that when we were kids as a way to make me lose focus. I guess it stuck."

Just then, Maggie and Lisa ran into the kitchen laughing and screaming. Cass was right behind them pretending to be a monster. The girls ran behind their mother and aunt, trying to get away from the Cassandra-creature when Mark came in as well. He had been trying to concentrate on replying to a request from his boss when he got distracted by all the commotion. He was glad for it because his girls playing around always managed to put a smile on his face.

"So, what's on the agenda?" He asked, looking at his sister.

"Nothing, really. I was thinking about a light lunch, maybe some board games and cartoons with the girls and some Chinese for dinner."

He cocked his head, "You have children's board games?"

Cass answered for her. "Oh yeah, we play all the time. They're mostly mine from when I was younger. But a bunch are for team night."

This satisfied her brother, who had become more used to the idea of the young woman. It also eased his mind that his sister hadn't completely shut herself off from the world and had been given this chance at almost-motherhood.

Jen and Sam prepared lunch while Cass took the girls to pick out games for them to play later on. If Mark was surprised by the amount of child-friendly things being pulled out, he did not comment.

All in all, the family spent a relaxing day finally getting reacquainted with each other. It was a relief for all that there were no more arguments or fights. And after lunch Sam told Mark of their meeting at the mountain in two days' time. He simply nodded his head and said, "Ok." The subject wasn't brought up again.

Cassandra decided to spend the night and build a fort with her new-found besties. Much to the chagrin of the adults, they chose to construct their marvel right in the middle of the living-room, which moved their conversation from the comforts of the home to the solitude of the back porch. The night was nice so it wasn't that much of a sacrifice. It also allowed for a more adult conversation and no need to worry about their vocabulary where little ears might listen and little mouths might later repeat.

The Carter siblings finally managed to reconnect. With the days to come, Sam was glad for this. She knew it wouldn't be easy for Mark to absorb what he would be hearing. If he never spoke to her again after, at least they had gotten this chance.

The following day, they all hit the mall for lunch a bit of shopping. As a gag, Cassie bought the first season of Wormhole Extreme and made them sit through it. Sam was not amused but couldn't disagree too strongly without drawing attention to herself. Besides, when argued for watching it, she had to let it go, thinking it might make it easier for him to accept what she would have to tell him the following day.

"While you may be this astrophysics genius who will spot all the mistakes in five second or less, us mere mortals can enjoy it without dissecting it."

She narrowed her eyes. "You know what? Sure. Let's watch it. I never did give Marty a chance."

"Whose Marty?"

Sam smiled as she remembered the annoying and loveable little alien. "The writer and producer of the show. We've met. General O'Neill liaised with them during the filming of the first season to make sure they didn't destroy the Air Force's reputation."

The eldest of the Carter children had been paying close attention to the adults' conversation. If her aunt knew movie people than she must be even more important than she had originally thought. Sure, knowing all those important generals was good and all, and probably meant she was respected. But knowing movie people? That meant her aunt was almost famous, and that was so much cooler. 'Just wait till I tell the girls in my class!" She thought.

"So, we can watch it aunt Sam?" She asked with the excitement only a child could generate.

"Sure sweetie, as soon as we get home."

And so their day progressed. The show was watched and laughed at. No one made a single comment about how much Wormhole Extreme's alien fighting team resembled Sam's, and the family retired early in anticipation of daddy's big meeting up at the mountain.


End file.
